Pretrial & Probation Services
Pretrial Services
Pretrial Services strives to provide the highest levels of ethical and professional conduct, and is committed to serving Seneca County Common Pleas Court while remaining neutral, objective and ethical in providing all services and supervision of conditions ordered by the court. The goal of Seneca County Pretrial Services is to provide supervision of defendants awaiting trial or sentencing and to assure compliance with the conditions of release from jail and bond requirements. A Pretrial Services Specialist will be assigned to each defendant accordingly.
Pretrial Services Contact Information
- 67 St Francis Avenue Tiffin, Ohio 44883
- Phone: (567) 220-7018
- Fax: (567) 220-7867
Pretrial performs two primary functions:
- Make bond recommendations to the Judges in the Court of Common Pleas for any individual making an initial or attorney appearance on a Felony Charge. Bond recommendations are made after the offenders are interviewed and specific information, such as criminal record, home address, and employment, are investigated and verified.
- Help alleviate jail overcrowding. This is accomplished through bond recommendations and supervision which mitigates the likelihood of a defendant’s re-arrest while released on bond.
Benefits Of Pretrial Services:
Seneca County Pretrial Services serves the criminal justice system and community and assists in preserving community safety. Seneca County Pretrial Services provides the Court with information that assists in the judicial process, enforces court orders and provides supervision and treatment options to defendants.
The Intake component gathers and provides information about arrestees charged with criminal offenses and through way of written report aids the Court in making informed decisions concerning pretrial release.
The Supervision component increases court appearance rates and proactively monitors court ordered conditions of pretrial release and refers defendants to specialized service providers thus impacting victim and community safety.
In order to mitigate failure to appear for court and/or re-arrest pending trial, supervision may be assigned based on the defendant’s level of risk determined by the ORAS-PAT assessment. There are three levels of supervision Minimum, Medium, and Maximum. Supervision of those pending trial may include random drug/alcohol testing, reporting, EM/SCRAM and referrals to appropriate community agencies. These referrals are intended to initiate rehabilitative efforts.
Probation Services
The Mission Statement of the Seneca County Probation Services to enhance public safety and promote offender reintegration in the community through proactive supervision and referral to community resources. Seneca County Probation Services aims to provide the highest quality service to the Court, community, and offenders, ultimately enhancing public safety. This is accomplished through effective community based supervision, enforcement of Court orders and affording offenders an opportunity to initiate positive changes.
Probation Services Contact Information
- 65 St Francis Avenue Tiffin, Ohio 44883
- Phone: (567) 220-6900
- Fax: (567) 220-6523
Our Philosophy About Community Control:
All officers provide supervision to their offenders based on evidenced-based practices. We believe in addressing the core issues/needs that most of our offender’s experience, which involves evaluation and many levels of service based upon individual needs. We refer to local agencies to address issues related to substance abuse, mental health and psychiatric care, other support-based groups, vocational support, GED classes and other individualized services.
All officers are trained in Evidence Based Practices and Core Correctional Practices and integrate this knowledge base into all interactions with offenders. Specifically, all officers utilize Motivational Interviewing techniques to encourage offenders to explore and access internal and external factors that impact their thinking and subsequent actions.
Probation Department Staff:
Seneca County Probation Services is staffed by six full-time probation officers and the Chief Probation Officer as well as a program assistant.
- Brandy Bagent, Chief Probation Officer
(567) 220-7018 ext. 4218 - Cathy Brookes, Senior Probation Officer
(567) 220-6900 ext. 4270 - McKinley Armstrong, Probation Officer
(567) -220-6900 ext. 4262 - Angela Ward, Probation Officer
(567) 220-6900 ext. 4256 - Daniel Shaferly, Probation Officer
(567) 220-6900 ext. 4240 - Patrick Ardner, Probation Officer
(567) 220-6900 ext. 4241 - Daniel Cole, Probation Officer
(567) 220-6900 ext. 4243 - Denise Ackerman, Program Assistant
(567) 220-6900 ext. 4201
Court Rules
The local Court Rules herein shall apply only to the General and Domestic Relations Divisions, except as otherwise specifically provided.
PIVOT Program
"Participating in Victory Transition" is a program that helps participants get back on the right path and assists with long-term sobriety.
Civil Mediation
Mediation is a process whereby the parties meet with a person not connected with the case, who is trained in dispute resolution.